Heretofore in the general garment art, it was known to provide garments with noticeable side and back vents as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 21,504, granted May 24, 1892 to Young, as well as jackets with bottom fringes as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 232,603, granted Sept. 3, 1974, to Morgan.
In Jewish religious law, or Halakah, observant Jews, since the time of Moses, are required to wear a "four cornered garment" with a specially braided fringe (tzitzioth) attached to each corner. This is considered a deed or "Mitzvah" performed in adherence to the Laws of Torah (Five Books of Moses) where in observance calls for the children of Israel to attach tzitzioth ". . . to the four corners of your garments . . . ".
Most traditionally this 4-cornered tzitzioth garment has been constructed from a simple 4-cornered acceptable piece of material with an ample circle cut out in center as a hole through which the wearer's head may pass, thus allowing the full portion of material to simply drape down, falling against the wearer's body when the garment is placed on as clothing. The garment is fully open along all sides, with the tzitzioth having been appropriately attached before the garment is worn.
The "4-cornered" tzitzioth garment has most commonly been worn as an undergarment. This 4-cornered garment most traditionally has been worn by men, although some observant women have also worn tzitzioth. The four-cornered tzitzioth garment has undergone very little in the way of basic construction change over many years, perhaps centuries.
For various reasons, social or otherwise, modern day activity has exempted the choice of a major portion of the Jewish population to wear the traditional 4-cornered tzitzioth garment. Though seen as serving an observant function to the Laws of Torah, the traditional garment has been put aside either as not being considered commonly needed in this "day and age", or as being uncomfortably cumbersome and "aesthetically undesirable." As an example, in all sorts of weather, winter and summer alike, an observant member of Israel commonly wears an undershirt and a traditional woolen tzitzioth garment over which both a conventional shirt and suit of choice is most normally added. This is especially uncomfortable in the summer months and in warm climates.
Now there is provided by the present invention a novel tzitzioth garment which has the requisite observant requirement features to adhere to the learnings of Torah and yet provides a uniquely different garment of aesthetically desirable and contemporary appearance.
Specifically, the garment of the present invention is at least about two-thirds opened, in this example at the sides, but gives the appearance of fully encircling the wearer's body at the located areas of opening.
Another present day problem with the tzitzioth garment, is that mechanical laundering damages the very specific requisite braiding of the fringes (tzitzioth). Traditionally, once the tzitzioth braiding is damaged, they require changing or the entire garment is considered not correctly useful; often then the entire garment is disposed of. Thus laundering has been necessarily done gently by hand to extend the life-expectancy of the tzitzioth and very inconvenient to wash the garment itself. The present invention also provides for protective laundering of the tzitzioth.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a garment with generally open construction and yet the appearance of being body encircling.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a garment as aforesaid, which is a tzitzioth garment.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a tzitzioth garment as aforesaid which has the aesthetic acceptability of a contemporary shirt or outerwear.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a bag for the protective laundering of the tzitzioth.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide the combination of a tzitzioth garment and tzitzioth laundering bag.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a garment which may be readily manufactured, of contemporary appearance, and yet practical in wide everyday use by the wearer.